Ghana

There is debate to whether homosexuality existed prior to colonial influence in Africa. However, one pre-colonial group of states, Fanti (present day south Ghana) had the belief that “heavy” and “light” souls determined attraction to women or males, respectively, not biological sex (Anna, 2017). Present day, there is very little support for LGBT rights by Ghanaians, though there has been recent discourse surrounding changing this narrative. The SGM population in Ghana is disproportionaltely affected by negative health outcomes and lower access to healthcare. Both behavioral health and physical health are affected. SGMs experience higher rates of substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and mood disorders, various cancers, HPV, and HIV/AIDS (Acolaste, 2015). These disparities are, at least in part, explained by stigma, discrimination, and abuse (Acolaste, 2015). MSM in Ghana also are unlikely to use condoms due to feat of health provider stigmatization and low knowledge of STI prevention/transmission within peer social networks (Nelson et al., 2015).“Moral Panic” may also be a large influence to the continued stigma and discrimination. The media has a generally negative presentation of SGMs in Ghana, painting them as a threat to societal values (Tettey, 2016). There is an activist presence in Ghana, but visibility is an issue due to these previously stated factors. Activism looks different in Ghana; rather than large protests, activism is typically geared towards conflict mediation (Gore, 2018).

Acolaste, N. (2015). Health Disparities among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Population in Ghana. Texila International Journal of Nursing, 6(9), 13. https://doi.org/10.21522/TIJNR.2015.06.01.Art009

Anna, B.-J., Oppegaard, S. M. N., Berntsen, Ø. I., Flatås, M. D., Rindal, E., Sarpong, S. P., & Stenwig, E. (2017). Forms of Discrimination of LGBT People in Ghana, Uganda, Russia and Norway. A report by ISFiT Research Group 1/2017. 129. https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/handle/11250/2462318

Gore, E. (2018). Reflexivity and Queer Embodiment: Some Reflections on Sexualities Research in Ghana. Feminist Review, 120(1), 101–119. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41305-018-0135-6

Laar, A., & DeBruin, D. (2017). Key populations and human rights in the context of HIV services rendition in Ghana. BMC International Health and Human Rights, 17(1). Gale Academic OneFile. http://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A511229706/AONE?u=duke_perkins&sid=zotero&xid=d70dd430

Nelson, L. E., Wilton, L., Agyarko-Poku, T., Zhang, N., Zou, Y., Aluoch, M., Apea, V., Hanson, S. O., & Adu-Sarkodie, Y. (2015). Predictors of Condom Use among Peer Social Networks of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Ghana, West Africa. PLOS ONE, 10(1), e0115504. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115504

Population, total—Ghana | Data. (n.d.). Retrieved July 30, 2020, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=GH

Tettey, W. J. (2016). Homosexuality, Moral Panic, and Politicized Homophobia in Ghana: Interrogating Discourses of Moral Entrepreneurship in Ghanaian Media. Communication, Culture and Critique, 9(1), 86–106. https://doi.org/10.1111/cccr.12132